Night of Nyx (The Nightfall Chronicles 2.5) by Karpov Kinrade Page B
Authors: Karpov Kinrade
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nods and closes the door as she leaves.
Zorin looks down at the pale girl lying on his bed, her wrist no longer bleeding from her missing hand.
He works quickly, removing her armor until she is wearing only her undergarments.
There is a knock at his door and he hurries to answer it, irritated by the interruption. It's Trix, holding a white linen nightgown. "For N."
Zorin nods his thanks and closes the door, then slips the gown over Nightfall's mostly naked body. He pulls out an old bag with medical tools and finds what he needs. Needles and an IV. It takes him no time at all to slide one needle into his arm and one into hers.
His blood begins to move to her, giving her back the life she lost.
He sinks into a chair by the bed and thinks about what happened that night.
Carter comes in and tends to the fire, bringing it back to life and warming the room. He sits in the chair near Zorin, concern etched on his face.
"Caring too much has never led to anything good for you."
Zorin looks over at him. "I would not trade my time with Danika for anything, not even for the absence of pain caused by her death."
"She isn't Danika," Carter says, looking at the girl in bed.
"No," Zorin says. "She's not. But she is mine to protect, and protect her I will." Zorin leans forward as far as the IV will allow him. "And you will protect her as well. As if your life depends on it."
Carter nods. "As you wish."
He leaves then, and Zorin settles back into the chair and watches the rise and fall of Nightfall’s—Scarlett's—chest. She will live. And she will lead. And he will not let her die.
Zorin is almost asleep when he hears her breathing change. She is awake.
He stirs, his mind thick and heavy from loss of blood.
He is watching her as she orients herself. When she holds up her arm, the one that lost a hand, she gasps.
Zorin smiles. "It grew back,” he says.
"After Jax… " She pauses. "After Jax's execution, my throat healed, but I didn't expect to regenerate an entire limb."
"As long as you're alive and have blood, you will heal."
"How long was I out for?" she asks.
Zorin glances at the clock. "Eleven hours."
She frowns. "And you've been giving me blood the whole time?"
"My blood is the most effective."
She tightens the clasp on the IV and removes the needle from her wrist. Zorin moves to stop her, but he is weak. Tired. Slow. She easily pushes him away and he sighs and slumps back into his chair.
She pulls the sheets off herself and stands, looking down at her clothes.
"Thank you for the dress."
"I wanted you to be comfortable," he says, grinning.
She touches his arm with her new hand, a small smile on her face.
"Thank you, Zorin. You saved me today."
He trembles, his mind flickering in and out. "I wasn't sure I could fight him. I wasn’t…" He begins to mumble.
Nightfall runs to the closet to grab a LifeForce and hands it to him, but the can slips from his grasp. "Zorin? Zorin?"
Her words sound distant. Echoey. It is hard to focus on her voice.
Something is placed at his lips and liquid pours from it. It gags him until he remembers how to swallow. He drinks slowly at first, then faster. His head begins to clear. Nightfall brings two more cans and he drains them quickly.
"Thank you, Scarlett," he says.
She tosses him another LifeForce and sits on the bed with one of her own. "I wouldn't be here without you. I… was careless. I was used to fighting Ragathon, but Varian is different. He thinks like no one I've ever met. He outmaneuvered me at every turn."
"Not at the end," says Zorin. "Hackers are still playing your video on the net."
"I got lucky. He could have killed me in an instant, but he didn't. He must have had to take me alive. I've… I've never seen anyone fight like him." She meets his eyes. "I've never seen anyone fight like you."
He frowns, but only for a moment. "I've had many teachers and a long time to study."
"I'm sorry I haven't been a better student," she says, twirling the can in her
Zorin looks down at the pale girl lying on his bed, her wrist no longer bleeding from her missing hand.
He works quickly, removing her armor until she is wearing only her undergarments.
There is a knock at his door and he hurries to answer it, irritated by the interruption. It's Trix, holding a white linen nightgown. "For N."
Zorin nods his thanks and closes the door, then slips the gown over Nightfall's mostly naked body. He pulls out an old bag with medical tools and finds what he needs. Needles and an IV. It takes him no time at all to slide one needle into his arm and one into hers.
His blood begins to move to her, giving her back the life she lost.
He sinks into a chair by the bed and thinks about what happened that night.
Carter comes in and tends to the fire, bringing it back to life and warming the room. He sits in the chair near Zorin, concern etched on his face.
"Caring too much has never led to anything good for you."
Zorin looks over at him. "I would not trade my time with Danika for anything, not even for the absence of pain caused by her death."
"She isn't Danika," Carter says, looking at the girl in bed.
"No," Zorin says. "She's not. But she is mine to protect, and protect her I will." Zorin leans forward as far as the IV will allow him. "And you will protect her as well. As if your life depends on it."
Carter nods. "As you wish."
He leaves then, and Zorin settles back into the chair and watches the rise and fall of Nightfall’s—Scarlett's—chest. She will live. And she will lead. And he will not let her die.
Zorin is almost asleep when he hears her breathing change. She is awake.
He stirs, his mind thick and heavy from loss of blood.
He is watching her as she orients herself. When she holds up her arm, the one that lost a hand, she gasps.
Zorin smiles. "It grew back,” he says.
"After Jax… " She pauses. "After Jax's execution, my throat healed, but I didn't expect to regenerate an entire limb."
"As long as you're alive and have blood, you will heal."
"How long was I out for?" she asks.
Zorin glances at the clock. "Eleven hours."
She frowns. "And you've been giving me blood the whole time?"
"My blood is the most effective."
She tightens the clasp on the IV and removes the needle from her wrist. Zorin moves to stop her, but he is weak. Tired. Slow. She easily pushes him away and he sighs and slumps back into his chair.
She pulls the sheets off herself and stands, looking down at her clothes.
"Thank you for the dress."
"I wanted you to be comfortable," he says, grinning.
She touches his arm with her new hand, a small smile on her face.
"Thank you, Zorin. You saved me today."
He trembles, his mind flickering in and out. "I wasn't sure I could fight him. I wasn’t…" He begins to mumble.
Nightfall runs to the closet to grab a LifeForce and hands it to him, but the can slips from his grasp. "Zorin? Zorin?"
Her words sound distant. Echoey. It is hard to focus on her voice.
Something is placed at his lips and liquid pours from it. It gags him until he remembers how to swallow. He drinks slowly at first, then faster. His head begins to clear. Nightfall brings two more cans and he drains them quickly.
"Thank you, Scarlett," he says.
She tosses him another LifeForce and sits on the bed with one of her own. "I wouldn't be here without you. I… was careless. I was used to fighting Ragathon, but Varian is different. He thinks like no one I've ever met. He outmaneuvered me at every turn."
"Not at the end," says Zorin. "Hackers are still playing your video on the net."
"I got lucky. He could have killed me in an instant, but he didn't. He must have had to take me alive. I've… I've never seen anyone fight like him." She meets his eyes. "I've never seen anyone fight like you."
He frowns, but only for a moment. "I've had many teachers and a long time to study."
"I'm sorry I haven't been a better student," she says, twirling the can in her
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